Trumpeter Nick Hmeljak on New Album Alive, Open Channel & Kansas City Jazz
Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City-based jazz trumpeter and composer Nick Hmeljak. Nick is preparing to release his upcoming 2026 album, Alive, with his band Open Channel — a Kansas City collective he formed in 2024 to explore original music and standards through the wide-open lens of jazz, R&B and rock.
With a rotating lineup featuring vibraphone, guitar, synths, trumpet, bass and drums, Open Channel is constantly shifting textures, instrumentation and group dynamics to create something fresh every time they hit the stage.
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